Mussels are a flavorful mollusk that when prepared on their own offer a wonderful mixture of flavors. Learn how to easily make this dish as an appetizer or entrée!
Mussels are a staple in most Italian seafood dishes. They’re easy to cook and can be prepared in a variety of ways and sauces. In this recipe, I’ll explain how to make these mollusks in a simple way that is mouth-watering good!
Ingredients (for a party of 2):
1-2 lbs of mussels
1/4 cup of parsley
2 tbsps of extra virgin olive oil
1/8 tsp of red pepper flakes
1-2 cloves of garlic
1/4 – 1/2 cup of dry white wine
1 tbsp of butter
Start by washing your mussels under cold water individually to get off the dirt from the shell. I say individually because you’ll need to check and make sure that each mussel shell is closed. If the shell is closed, then they are alive and fresh for consumption. If you come across a shell that is open, run some cold water inside it and see if it closes. If it doesn’t close, toss it—it’s too old for consumption.
Place your washed mussels in a medium sized pot and sprinkle half of your parsley and garlic on top and mix.
Place your pot on the stove and set to medium heat. Cover with a lid.
The mussels need to cook for about 10 minutes or until you start to see them change color from translucent to a more yellow-orange. The mussels will also be open when they are done.
In another pan, heat up your olive oil and butter and dump your mussels once they’re done cooking. Add red pepper flakes, the rest of your garlic and parsley, and the wine.
Let this all cook together for about 5-8 minutes. When the flavors have blended nicely, the place in a medium sized bowl and enjoy with fresh focaccia.
Let me know how your mussels taste in the comments!
